In recent years, there has been increased interest in toy motorcycles, and more particularly toy motorcycles which are radio controlled with respect to speed and steering.
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, toy motorcycles having two wheels present balance and steering problems which are more complex and far different from problems encountered with radio controlled toy four-wheeled vehicles. These problems have been approached in a number of different ways by prior art workers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,175, for example, teaches a two-wheeled motorcycle having a frame or chassis which carries a drive motor, a radio, a servo mechanism, and a power source. The servo is provided with a shaft which supports a weight in the manner of an inverted pendulum. By shifting the weight to the right or left, the toy motorcycle is caused to lean to the right or left. The front wheel of the motorcycle is supported by a fork which is attached to a pivot assembly located ahead of the fork. As a consequence of this construction, when the motorcycle is caused to lean in one direction or the other by the servo mounted weight, the front wheel will turn in the direction of that lean. The motorcycle is provided with a crash bar on each side which will help to maintain the motorcycle substantially upright during a turn and when standing still.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,271 teaches another approach wherein a toy motorcycle is provided with a front frame supporting the front wheel and a rear frame supporting the rear wheel and a drive motor therefor. The rear frame, wheel and motor are tiltable with respect to the front frame to initiate left and right turns. Tilting of the rear frame is brought about by a servo mounted in the front frame and radio controlled. Auxiliary legs having wheels on their free ends project outwardly from both sides of the toy motorcycle, to maintain the toy motorcycle substantially upright when stopped.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,569 teaches a radio controlled two-wheeled motorcycle toy with yet another approach for steering the toy. The motorcycle of this reference has a horizontal, longitudinally extending shaft to which a battery pack containing frame is pivotally suspended in pendulum fashion. The front wheel of the toy motorcycle is mounted to a support mechanism comprising a fork, and a pivot member located forwardly of the fork. The battery pack is swung to the right or left in pendulum fashion by a radio controlled servo. The battery pack mechanism is operatively connected to the front wheel support, so that it tilts in the same direction as the battery pack is shifted, causing the toy motorcycle to turn in that direction. In addition, a simulated rider mounted on the toy motorcycle contains weights within its body which shift along with the shifting of the battery pack. The toy motorcycle is provided with a stand for supporting the rear wheel thereof at starting.
The present invention is directed to a radio controlled toy motorcycle which demonstrates easy steering control and remarkable stability. The toy motorcycle of the present invention is of simple and compact construction.
The toy motorcycle comprises a chassis which rotatively supports the rear wheel and to which the forward wheel is caster mounted. The chassis, near its forward end, has a shaft about which a swing support is pivoted and from which the swing support extends rearwardly. the swing support mounts a battery pack, a radio and electronics pack, a servo and a simulated rider, except for the rider's lower leg portions. The servo, being operatively connected to the chassis, shifts the swing support to the right or left from a central position, causing the toy motorcycle to lean to the right or left and therefore to turn to the right or left, the caster mounted forward wheel responding to the leaning of the motorcycle.
On each side of the motorcycle, a lower leg portion of the rider is pivotally attached to a fixed foot rest on the chassis and by a web is further pivotally affixed to the swing support. The arrangement is such that when the motorcycle toy turns to the right or left, the simulated rider and the appropriate one of his knees will shift into the turn in a realistic fashion, further stabilizing the toy motorcycle. Each knee has a reinforced touch point which will engage the surface upon which the motorcycle is running after the motorcycle has been in a turn for some time.
Finally, when the motorcycle toy is at rest following a wreck, a spin out or by virtue of simply being stopped, the motorcycle toy is capable of being started and righting itself. No manual manipulation of the motorcycle toy is required for this purpose and the motorcycle toy is free of outwardly extending legs, auxiliary wheels or other assisting devices, frequently found in the prior art.